(Yaakov Keidaner). Matzreph Ha’Avodah. Appended: Letter attributed to Rabbi Shneur Zalman of Liadi.

(CHASSIDISM).

Aryeh Leib Shapira

Zhitomir

1865

Second edition.

Ch. Liberman, Ohel Rachel Vol. III, p. 17; N. Lamm, Torah Lishmah (1972, pp. 208-12; Y. Mundshein, The Books Matzreph Ha’Avodah and Vikucha Rabah, in: Alei Sefer, Vol. V. pp. 165-75.

A polemic debate between a Chassid and a Misnaged concerning Chassidic ideology. This work and the identification of its anonymous author has engendered much conflicting debate among scholars (Dubnow, Zinberg, Deinard, Friedberg and Lamm). It is Mundshein who has correctly identified the author as Yaakov Keidaner, a Chabad Chassid and author of other works, including Sipurim Niphla’im. Although the topics of discussion in this debate are certainly relevant to the ideological differences between Chassidim and Misnagdim, certain historical facts and chronology are unreliable and the protagonists are clearly imaginary.